rosy-finches (Larimer) on 2/28

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

FYI, my friend Boris and I visited the Moose Visitor Center on Cameron Pass this morning and had two groups of rosy-finches come swirling in.  I would say total individuals was about 110 birds, with 4 brown-capped and the rest gray-crowned (mostly normal types and a smattering of Hepburn's).

Other birds were both chickadees, Steller's and Canada jays and magpies.  No pine grosbeaks or sparrows.

The east side of the pass has a low level of snow, the west side is much better (including the Walden area).  We cruised the road up toward Lake John w of Walden hoping to glimpse sage-grouse but no luck.  Very few areas where sage is sticking out above the snow.  On this road we had small groups of horned larks, with one gray-crowned rosy-finch in their midst.  Other birds included golden eagles, common ravens and crows.  No rough-legged hawks.

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins